Blood may be thicker than water, but that doesn’t mean that we have to stand by our family members at the expense of our own lives. One woman recently hopped on Reddit to detail how she’s taken on the role of her nephew’s second parent since her sister gave birth. But after a year of this, she’s finally decided that enough is enough.
Below, you’ll find the full story that was posted in the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit, as well as some of the reactions invested readers shared.
Most of us would do anything for our beloved family members
Image credits: Meruyert Gonullu / pexels (not the actual photo)
But after setting aside her own needs for a year to help raise her nephew, this woman has finally decided to put her foot down
Image credits: Tirachard / envato (not the actual photo)
Later, the author clarified some details about the story
Image source: Statistic-Error
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not they want to have kids
Being a parent is a lifelong commitment, so choosing to have kids is a decision that should never be taken lightly. And while it does take a village to raise children, it’s not fair to expect one person, especially one who never signed up to have kids of their own, to put their entire life on hold for their nephew. Not to mention the fact that a child’s first year is arguably one of their most challenging.
The first year of a baby’s life is full of sleepless nights, screaming fits, spit-up, changing countless diapers and thousands of dollars in costs. In fact, Thrivent reports that having a kid can cost anywhere from $20,000 and $50,000 before they even have their first birthday. The medical expenses in the beginning will no doubt set parents in the United States back thousands.
But you’ll also have to spend quite a bit of money transforming your home for your child. Creating a nursery and baby proofing pre-existing furniture can be a large expense, and of course, your baby’s got to wear clothes too! They’ll need special dining utensils, plates and sippy cups, toys, car seats, carriers, strollers and much more. Plus, babies go through about 10 diapers a day in their first few months. And don’t forget to buy wipes!
Children can take a huge toll on parents’ finances
Whether you’re breastfeeding your infant or giving them formula, feeding them is going to cost you between $1,000 to $5,000 for the first year. And if you’re in need of child care so you can go back to the office to support your family, you can easily spend between $6,000 to $17,000 annually to ensure your little one is taken care of.
The costs that come along with having children add up extremely fast, and they never seem to end, at least not until the kid has become an adult. According to Investopedia, it costs about $310,605 to raise a child up to age 17 in the United States nowadays. And if they don’t move out as soon as they turn 18, you’re still going to be spending quite a bit on their food and other expenses.
While the woman in this story loves her nephew with her whole heart, she simply did not sign up to be a parent or permanently have her sister and nephew in her home. It’s never easy to set boundaries with loved ones, but at a certain point, it can become necessary.
The Taylor Counseling Group notes on their site that healthy boundaries allow us to maintain self-care and self-respect, communicate our needs in relationships and create time and space in our lives for positive interactions.
It’s important to be able to set healthy boundaries with family members
But if you’re having a difficult time setting boundaries with your own loved ones, remember that it’s okay to put your own needs first. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and taking care of yourself will allow you to better be there for others. You deserve to value your time and ask that others in your life do so as well. You shouldn’t be expected to help out at the drop of a hat or put your needs on hold for family members.
When communicating your boundaries, don’t be afraid to be direct, while still being kind. Your demands might not always be taken well, especially not at first, but don’t give up just because you’ve received some pushback. Remember to set realistic expectations as well, the Taylor Counseling Group notes. You know your family better than anyone, so you can probably anticipate and prepare for how they will react ahead of time.
As challenging as it may be, avoid partaking in family gossip and try to stay off of social media when creating boundaries with loved ones. Give yourself permission to say “no,” and don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations with family members. And finally, know when it’s necessary to walk away from a relationship.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this woman was right to put her foot down with her sister? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda piece discussing similar family issues, look no further than right here.
Many readers took the author’s side, and she chimed in to share more info about the situation
Other readers continued to assure the woman that she has every right to set boundaries with her sister
